Pet Foxes: Pros & Cons

Calico fox, photo by Frazier Farms Exotics

Foxes, particularly red (vulpes vulpes) and arctic (vulpes lagopus) foxes, are among some of the most popular exotic animals in the trade. Due to cute internet videos, and social media stars, they are quickly gaining popularity. This is both a good thing, and a bad thing- this article will explain why. Here are the most notable pros and cons of owning red and arctic foxes.

Pros:

• Very energetic and playful
• Entertaining
• Beautiful animals
• Red foxes come in a plethora of color morphs, arctics have a few as well
• Can be harness trained
• Can be partially litter pan trained with much effort
• Can be trained with operant conditioning and positive reinforcement, but it takes much time and effort.

Cons:

• Smell musky, and their urine smells like skunk spray
• They mark their territory by urinating and defecating, and this cannot be trained out 
• Extremely destructive, will chew through couched and dig carpet up
• Need an outdoor enclosure, very few people are successful keeping foxes indoors
• Can be flighty and are wary animals
• Are very loud, and will make piercing shrieks which can be heard for
• Cannot be owned in neighborhoods due to smell and noise
• Are nippy animals, will bite if they feel it is necessary 
• Infamous resource guarders
• Diet can be hard for new owners, inexperienced with foxes, to balance out. High protein, grain free dog kibble is not enough. Taurine is a must, and foxes benefit more from a well balanced raw diet of lean proteins like chicken, rabbit, and egg as well as organs. In-depth nutrition info is out of the scope for this article. 

Overall, foxes make great pets for the right people. If you can't handle a fox, it will be your worst nightmare. For those off-put by this info, fennec and pale foxes lack many of these negative qualities, so refer to their pros and cons post as well. 

Always make sure to do your research when considering purchasing any animal- especially exotic animals like foxes.